Feminist Fantasy

I enjoy reading fantasy. When I read the post bemoaning a lack of feminist fantasy and romance novels, I went back to my book shelf to look through it with a feminist eye.
It was an interesting discovery on my part. For though I have only been identifying as a feminist for less than a year, every single one of my favorite books has a strong woman in it. They also have at least a remotely happy ending, because I don’t read fantasy to be depressed at the end of it. I love these writers, and I hope you do, too.
So, here they are:
Anne Bishop
Awesome! My favorite writer EVER. The central theme in all her books is strong woman saving the world. Be warned, her work is dark, though getting less so. Terrible things happen to the lead characters, but they all learn to live beyond it to happy lives. I love her characters because they are not just good or bad. They all have bits of both. Her worlds suck you in and it’s hard to leave.
She has three worlds/series which include The Black Jewels Trilogy, the Pillars of the World series, and the pair Sebastian and Belladonna. All are great, but I would start with the Black Jewels or Sebastian.

Tanya Huff
She has written some of the best dialog I have ever read, being the only writer to ever make me consistently laugh out loud. Her Keeper series has a sarcastic talking cat and a Hell that not only has split personalities, it argues with itself.
Her Valor series has a kick ass female sergeant in a futurist Marine corp.
Mercedes Lackey
She is a very prolific writer, and I really like about half her work.
The Serpent’s Shadow has taken elements of Snow White, but is very different. Different enough that I like it and it doesn’t make me gag.
The Fairy Godmother explains where the fairy godmothers come from.
I enjoyed the Valdemar series (Twenty or so books, mostly grouped as trilogies around a main character, but most of the characters keep showing up in the later books as well, which is fun to see) as well as the Obsidian Trilogy.
I hope this helps other fantasy lovers, I would like to hear what you think.
WARNING: I have introduced these writers to others, and many have stayed up till two, three, even four in the morning, reading cover to cover.